Former Bosnian-Serb General Ratko Mladic (file photo)
14 October 2005 -- A senior U.S. official will meet Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Montenegrin Premier Milo Djukanovic today as part of a Balkan tour.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns held talks with Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic early today and with Serbian President Boris Tadic late yesterday.

Burns was expected to pressure Belgrade leaders to arrest top war crimes fugitive, former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic, who was indicted for genocide by the United Nations tribunal in The Hague.

Burns' meetings also were to focus on the fate of Kosovo -- a Serb province overwhelmingly inhabited by ethnic Albanians under United Nations administration.

Yesterday in Kosovo, Burns said Washington wanted talks on the province's status to begin within 30 days.